Atlanta, Georgia, United States, November 2025 — Naren Rajappa has been appointed as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Operative, a global leader in media technology solutions that empower the world’s top media companies and publishers to manage and grow their advertising businesses. In his new role, Naren will lead Operative’s technology vision and innovation strategy, driving scalable SaaS-based architectures and engineering excellence across its converged media platforms.
Naren has been with Operative since early 2024, serving as Senior Vice President of Engineering, where he led global product engineering teams and accelerated the modernization of Operative’s cloud-native platforms. His leadership has been pivotal in delivering enhanced customer experiences, improving platform scalability, and integrating emerging technologies to support next-generation media monetization.
Before joining Operative, Naren held senior technology leadership roles across global logistics and enterprise software organizations. As Vice President of Software Development and Engineering at GXO Logistics, and previously Vice President of Application Development & Engineering at XPO Logistics, he led large-scale digital transformation initiatives, focusing on automation, AI-driven analytics, and next-gen logistics technologies.
Naren spent over eight years at Blue Yonder, progressing from Senior Director of Product Development to Group Vice President. There, he managed end-to-end R&D for supply chain execution products including Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) and Transportation Management Systems (TMS), driving innovation in automation, IoT, SaaS, and edge computing. His leadership was instrumental in building products that transformed warehouse productivity and digital logistics globally.
Earlier, during his tenure at RedPrairie, Naren played a foundational role in product development and engineering leadership for over nine years, advancing from Software Architect to Director of R&D. He successfully led global teams delivering mission-critical logistics and transportation software solutions for clients across the U.S., U.K., and India.
He began his career with Mascon Global Limited (MGL Americas) and Intelligent Environments, gaining deep expertise in software development for telecom and advanced technology systems. Naren holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science from the University of Iowa and a Bachelor’s in Computer Science & Engineering from the University of Madras.
About Operative
Operative powers the world’s leading media companies and publishers by providing cutting-edge solutions to manage advertising revenue across digital and television platforms. With $8.5 billion in digital ad revenue and $40 billion in global TV ad revenue managed through its systems, Operative plays a vital role in helping its 300+ clients—including FOX, NBCU, Discovery, Disney, HBO, and BellMedia—transition from ratings-based to outcome-based selling.
Built on modern, cloud-native SaaS technology, Operative’s platform delivers convergence across multiple channels, allowing clients to manage their advertising operations from a single, unified system. With innovation at its core, Operative continues to shape the future of media technology worldwide.
Read Also : When HR “Produces Nothing”: A Response to Jennifer Sey’s Anti-HR Vision
The Fine Balance: Navigating Work, Life, and Mental Wellbeing
Mind the Leadership Gap – From Learning to Real-World Impact
How the Adecco Group is empowering its employees for the future of work
